Stout worked odd jobs until 1912, when he began to write sporadically for magazines. After writing four moderately successful novels, Stout turned to the form of the detective story. In Fer-de-Lance (1934) he introduced Nero Wolfe, the obese, brilliant aesthete who solves crimes without leaving his New York City brownstone house. Wolfe has, as did Stout, a passion for gourmet foods and gardening. The mysteries are narrated by Archie Goodwin, Wolfe’s link to the outside world. Stout wrote 46 Wolfe mysteries; the well-written books remained very popular. Stout was active in numerous organizations supporting democracy and world federalism, including the Writers Board for World Government.